Nightingale Hospital relaunches its Young Person’s Unit

Nightingale Hospital, London’s only fully private mental health hospital, today launches its newly renovated Young Person’s Unit in its centrally-located Marylebone base following a 30% increase in demand for services.

As recently highlighted by HRH the Duchess of Cambridge, it is critical to be aware of mental health among children and adolescents; the time in life when most problems develop. The new unit at Nightingale will service an ever-growing requirement to support mental health in the young and provide full and comprehensive treatment for young people across a spectrum of mental health conditions. These include: eating disorders, depression, anxiety and self-harm.

It is widely documented that more than 50% of mental illnesses develop in adolescence. Therefore it is vital that parents are aware of how their children are developing as they grow up and are alert to symptoms of mental health issues in order to seek help early.

Dr Alex Horne, lead child and adolescent consultant at Nightingale Hospital, says “The earlier any problems are identified and understood, the earlier an appropriate diagnosis and treatment programme can begin. With the treatment programmes available at Nightingale’s Young Person’s Unit, children and young people have access to the highest standards of care in order to support recovery.”

The new unit has been designed to best serve patients requiring inpatient care; eating disorders and depression are the most common referrals and on the increase. The dominance of social media in young people’s lives and the availability of images portraying seemingly perfect bodies can also perpetuate these issues.

In the newly refurbished setting, young people are offered tailor-made treatment programmes, including individual and group therapy. Patient wellbeing has been the focus during the entire design process for the new unit. Throughout the project, interior designers and clinicians have worked together in order to provide a space that is aesthetically attractive, provides a calming environment and has practicality at the forefront. The patient spaces draw on extensive clinical research to ensure the highest standards and an environment that is welcoming, supports wellbeing and aids recovery.